As we near the end of 2011, I find myself thinking of my goals for next year. The short winter days will allow me some additional learning time for reviewing methods, creating my training plans with tests and approaches.

So far, my plans include:

Casey
May he stay healthy, happy and energetic through this next year and continue playing at agility. He still possibly may get his CDX but it depends on his continued ability to jump. If he does get his CDX we will go directly into his UD.

FaelanObedience
UD in the fall, start on his UDX questAgility
Open STD and start and/or finish his Excellent STD titles
Working distance so we can earn those JWW titlesField
Perhaps finish his JH, but continue some training to keep and improve his handling skills for continued field work once my obedience and agility goals have been completed

TowheeObedience
CD in the spring, before she goes into season
RA title perhaps by late summer

Finish and solidify her retrieve, continuing to work her in the basics for Utility and start scent articles once she loves her retrieve
Possibly her CDX in the late summer/early fall

I really really want a JH. I am already counting down the days until the first trial in April.

I want to be handling cold land blinds and I want to get her through water handling next year so that the following year we can hopefully run Senior.

Obedience...well like I said before we still are training for it but it definitely has a back seat to field training these days. I have decided I will show when I feel like it is together and not set a date of when it has to happen.

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A couple quick goals...
I'd really really like to get a SH on Tito this year, because I want to show him in the breed ring as a Hunting Retriever at National in September, and they have to be at least a SH.
I'd like to get his open level agility titles this year.
Guess that's about it, off the top of my head...

I just want my dogs to smile big every time we are in the ring, the rest is just icing on the cake.

And to that I say, "Be careful what you wish for!" Anyone who has ever shown a dog that got zoomies in the ring, or one that got immense pleasure from licking on the dog next to him, knows exactly what I mean!

And to that I say, "Be careful what you wish for!" Anyone who has ever shown a dog that got zoomies in the ring, or one that got immense pleasure from licking on the dog next to him, knows exactly what I mean!

I had the same thought....

Jacks has never zoomied in the ring, but he did drive me to do a verbal correction last winter when he got too "happy" and kept grabbing my clothes while heeling.

Danny's version of happiness was zooming around the ring and RUNNING OUT to visit my mom.

Sammy (my sister's dog) would have a happy fit in the middle of the offleash heel, and do one of the following:

1. Leave the ring to visit the friendly people out there

2. Run around the ring and jump on the judge

3. Burst into a sudden happy fit and do happy zoomy circles which include jumping and literally kicking my sister in the rear.

It took her 6 years to build up the confidence to go back into the ring after all of the shenadigans he put her through.

Other dogs I've seen as a spectator... include jumping fences to go play with the friendly dog in the next ring. Or jumping the fence to retrieve somebody else's dumbbell...

Or happily sitting at the start position, tail wagging, and watching their trainer complete the rest of the pattern...

Fisher:
Get 4 MH passes to qualify for MN
3 Finished passes to earn HRCH
I'm wavering on whether to enter any more Quals or the MN, should we qualify.

Slater:
Earn SH
Show in Novice by the National and Eastern Regional

We have several trips planned. To Ohio in late April for the Cardigan national; Ohio over the summer for training & HTs; St. Louis in Sept. for the golden national. I would love for my guys to earn Triathlon awards at the national, something I've never done before.